Recommended –

That the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 8 July 2020 be signed as a correct record.

The Business Advisor (Schools) reported on progress made on “Action” items:

·         Item 462 Minutes (Falling Rolls Fund): An email was sent to members asking for expressions of interest in the Falling Rolls Fund sub-group. Members that have expressed their interest will be contacted shortly to arrange a meeting, which will take place before the next Schools Forum.

·         Item 463 Matters Arising (Funding Health Services in Schools): The requests recorded in the minutes are picked at the end of this agenda.

·         Item 465 Chair and Vice Chair: The agreed process for the collection of nominations was completed. The only nominations put forward were for Dianne Richardson as Chair and Ian Morrel as Vice Chair, so an election was not required. Dianne and Ian continue in their positions for the 2020/21 academic year.

·         Item 467 Scheme for Financing Schools: The consultation has been completed as agreed. We received one response, which was in agreement with our proposals. A summary of the proposals is re-stated for the Forum atpage 11 in the agenda documentation. We now ask the Forum to agree the changes as proposed for immediate implementation. This was agreed without comment or question.

·         Linking in with the Scheme amendment, the DfE has published its outcomes of its consultation on improving financial transparency within the DSG and the maintained school sector. These outcomes include additional actions for the Local Authority as well as for maintained schools. A summary of these actions is provided for the awareness of the Schools Forum at page 13 in the agenda documentation. We are also required to adjust our Scheme for two directed revisions, which do not require local consultation. These are shown on page 11 in the agenda documentation and will be inserted into our Scheme that goes live today. The Vice Chair asked for a list of maintained schools to be provided.

·         Item 468 SEND & AP Review Update: An update is provided under agenda item 6.

·         Item 470 National Funding Formula: An update is provided under agenda items 7 (for COVID-19) and 8 (for National Funding Formula).

The Business Advisor (Schools) reported two other matters arising:

·         We would like to warn primary-phase maintained school representatives that, as last year, because of the timescales needed to confirm subscription, these members will be asked at the next meeting on 14 October whether they wish to de-delegate for the purposes of subscribing to Fischer Family Trust for 2021/22. As such, it will be helpful for these members to have collected feedback from colleagues in advance of this. We will send an email to members following this meeting to help.

·         The final position of brought forward balances within the DSG by block at 31 March 2020 is presented for members’ reference at page 9 in the agenda documentation.  The only change from the position presented on 8 July is the confirmation of our Early Years Block funding for 2019/20, which has adjusted the Early Years Block brought forward balance by £55k. The forecast of balances remaining at the end of this current 2020/21 financial year will be presented, as usual, in December.